2l8 [Proc. B.N.F.C. 



19 February, 1895. 



A lecture was delivered in the Museum by the Rev. Denis 

 Murphy, S.J., LL.D., M.R.I.A., Vice President R.S.A. The 

 subject chosen was ''Irish Art as Shown on Ancient Crosses." 

 The lecture was illustrated by a complete series of slides giving 

 beautiful representations of all the known Irish Crosses. Several 

 of those most admired were executed by R. Welch, of Belfast. 

 There was a large attendance. 



F. W. Lockwood, President, occupied the chair, and, in 

 introducing Rev. Dr. Murphy, said he thought he could promise 

 the audience a rich treat, and he was sure they would all join 

 him in welcoming down to Belfast such an eminent antiquary 

 as the Rev. Father Murphy. The subject was one of interest, 

 and, although it did not come within the natural history section 

 of their work, it came within the antiquarian section, which 

 some of them were anxious to keep well to the front, especially 

 their honorary secretary. The ancient crosses would tell them 

 some things which the churches and towers could not tell. He 

 had great pleasure in introducing the Rev. Dr. Murphy. 



The Lecturer, in introducing the subject, said he was extremely 

 thankful for the kind words and for the welcome with which he 

 had been greeted. He hoped they would not consider him 

 uncharitable if he supposed there might be some amongst them 

 who did not know what were the special characteristics of Irish 

 art, and he would mention some of them as a kind of introduc- 

 tion to our Crosses, and would at the same time set before them 

 a few specimens, but only a few specimens, of the art called 

 Irish, art. Some might ask was there such a thing as Irish art. 

 He, of course, asserted that there was ; and the fact was now 

 universally admitted by all persons acquainted with such 

 matters. He called it "Irish art," and not Celtic art, as some 

 people called it. It was peculiarly Irish, and should be called 

 Irish, not Celtic. As they all knew, Celts were to be found in 

 Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Wales, and Cornwall ; but he would 

 ask anyone at all acquainted with the history of this kind of art 



